


and it's her birthday

by burstofpeony



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, F/F, Fluff, POV Adora (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26471035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burstofpeony/pseuds/burstofpeony
Summary: Adora finally gets to celebrate her birthday with Catra beside her.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 133





	and it's her birthday

Adora didn’t know about birthdays until she joined the Rebellion.

And even after years in the Rebellion, after hundreds of parties and hundreds of explanations about the ‘meaning’ of it and how it was a ‘huge deal’, the entire thing wasn’t special to Adora, mostly because the birthday celebrations Glimmer and Bow threw for her didn’t seem… real.

She didn’t know her real birthday. No one did.

Glimmer had picked a random date (the 19th of January) and that was that. January 19th just happened to be three weeks out, which left Glimmer just enough time to organize something but not too much to have to wait, so it made sense.

But even with the cake and the laughing and the bright colors, Adora didn’t like it. She pretended to, sure, but only because Glimmer and Bow were so happy when she did. Maybe it was just leftover vestiges of Horde-training in her, but it all seemed like a humongous waste of time.

And there was always something at the back of her mind. Something she couldn’t stop thinking about, something that made her want to run out of the party and never look back.

Like, the first year she joined the Rebellion, all she could think about was She-Ra.

How did she control her? Where did she come from? What was the extent of her capabilities? Why Adora?

When, at the party, she transformed into She-Ra (without much issue, thankfully) to entertain the young kids, every time she blinked she saw Catra’s devastated look, like it was burned into her eyelids, and felt so nauseous she nearly threw up on a three year old.

The second year she celebrated her birthday, all she could think about was the impending battles, all the innocent people who would die if she failed, and all she’d have to give up in order to win. When would it end? Would she ever get back what she lost? Who she lost?

Fun birthday, right?

The third year was the worst. She couldn’t stop seeing Mara. She couldn’t stop hearing her pleas. 

She didn’t even pretend to enjoy the party.

Not that anyone brought it up.

Even distant memories of the Horde, of everyone celebrating promotions, were out of her mind that year. 

Adora didn’t even fleetingly think of Catra and how much she would enjoy cake. Just Mara and the responsibilities wearing her down.

Responsibility was a heavy thing.

But the fourth year.

The fourth year was different.

For one, it was the first birthday she had after the war ended.

Horde Prime was gone, magic was restored, and things were finally starting to get back to normal.

And another, it was the first birthday she had with Catra.

Adora was… nervous.

What if Catra didn’t like birthdays, or parties, or birthday parties?

Sure, she’d pretend to hate it forever, but what if she actually hated it?

How would she react when Glimmer assigned her a birthday? Would she snap at the citizens coming up to her and trying to talk? Would she cringe at the birthday gifts?

(Adora cringed at a gift from Perfuma the first year. It was a gift voucher to a vegan restaurant on the outskirts of Bright Moon. She would not make the same mistake again.)

What if Catra… cringed at all of them?

“Adora, it’s time to go. We’re going to be late.”

Adora turned to Bow, who had dressed up in a pastel pink suit, and nodded, pasting a smile to her face.

“Yeah, yeah, no, I’m totally ready. Totally.”

Bow snorted, a thoughtful gleam in his eyes. “Happy twentieth, Adora.”

She nodded, eyes crinkling up, and walked past him wordlessly, eyes already scanning the halls for Catra.

Catra.

They had kissed.

That had said “I love you” to each other.

But in the last three months or so since everything had happened, they had barely seen each other.

And it wasn’t even just her and Catra, the Best Friend Squad hadn’t properly been together in months.

Adora’s birthday was what was bringing the four of them back together.

Glimmer was busy ruling Bright Moon (and getting to know her dad), Bow had launched himself into rehabilitation efforts across the kingdoms, and when the generals of Bright Moon had discovered that Catra had a trove of secret Horde knowledge, she had become so busy no one had seen her in months.

Truthfully, Adora wasn’t really doing anything.

She bankrolled a few of Bow’s projects, showed up to champion Glimmer’s intellect, made appearances to encourage morale, and… that was it.

She couldn’t even remember the last time when she had gotten out of bed happy and hopeful and excited, with her friends by her side.

So, although she was occupied with thoughts of Catra, the moment she saw a flash of pink hair she shrieked in delight and sprinted towards it.

Glimmer turned, beaming, and didn’t even have time to open her arms before Adora barreled into her, knocking her back into the wall.

“There you are!” Glimmer exclaimed, throwing her arms around Adora’s shoulders and grinning up at her. “Happy fortieth, huh?”

Adora laughed, gripped her tighter. 

Bow reached them, enveloped both of them in a hug, and whispered something in Glimmer’s ear Adora couldn’t make out, but made Glimmer giggle and blush. 

Bow sighed happily. “I missed you guys.”

“We can’t let this happen again,” Glimmer added, and Adora noticed how her voice trembled when she said that.

They stood like that for a little while longer, pretending like they weren’t all about to start sobbing, arms tangled up and heads on shoulders.

“Oh, already leaving me out, I see.”

The three snapped their heads up, Glimmer squealing in delight, and Adora felt the world stop around her, grind to a halt, as she saw Catra at the end of the hallway.

Bow released her and Glimmer and ran over to Catra, pulling her into a tight hug (that she obviously fought).

Glimmer giggled and ran over too, leaving Adora to stare, mesmerized.

Catra’s hair had always grown abnormally quickly, that was true, but after three or four months of her not cutting it, it was long enough for her to twist into a beautiful French braid. The braid stretched down her back, shiny and almost golden in the bright lights.

Adora wanted to touch it.

As Bow and Glimmer let go of Catra and started asking her question about what she had been doing, how she got here, where she was living, etc., etc., Adora couldn’t stop staring.

Catra hadn’t bothered to dress up, was just going for a tank top and cargo pants combo, but she had to have been the most gorgeous thing Adora had ever seen.

Every small movement, every bob of the head, every casual hair flip, every finger twitch seemed to glow to Adora, like it was just begging to be looked at.  
Adora couldn’t move.

She wanted to, yeah, but Catra’s eyes were bright as ever, glittering and gleaming with happiness as Bow and Glimmer laughed and teased her, and her mouth had curled up ever so slightly, the only outright sign of her content, and just those two things had paralyzed Adora beyond belief.

“We need to find you a birthday!” Glimmer said, twisting to look at Adora. “Come here, we need to find a good birthday for Catra.”

Adora nodded, still not moving, and audibly inhaled when Catra’s gaze drifted to her, sharp and discerning.

Even with the distance, Adora could see Catra stiffen when Adora smiled at her.

Shit.  
But Glimmer and Bow were staring at her expectantly, so Adora forced herself to move, step-by-step, one by one, and before she knew it she was in front of Catra, mouth dry and heart pounding.

“Hey, Adora.”

How often had she dreamt of those words? Hearing those words in a different context, a different situation, one where fighting wouldn’t immediately follow.

Well, here it was.

Adora forced herself to smirk. “It’s been a while.”

Bow cleared his throat. “Okay, well, we will just… um, leave you two alone then. Not for any particular reason… party starts in five minutes, make sure to be there, you know? Cuz it’s your party--”

“Okay, Bow, that’s enough.” Glimmer yanked him away, casting an encouraging look over her shoulder at Adora as they walked away.

Adora smiled at Catra again, heart leaping when Catra tentatively smiled back.

“So… wanna take a walk?”

Catra snorted. “Don’t you have a party to get to?”

Adora shrugged, started walking. “I really couldn’t care less about the party.”

“Why’d you come then?” Catra asked, cocking her head ever so slightly.

Adora stopped, turned back, cheeks red. “I wanted to see you.”

Catra didn’t expect that, obviously, and for a half a second before she recovered, Adora could see the happy surprise clear on her face.

“Let’s go,” Catra muttered, trying and failing to conceal a blush.

Adora smiled.  
~~  
“Can you explain what all this is?”

Adora laughed slightly.

She had decided to lead Catra away from the party, somewhere more secluded, but of course, the first proper party since the war ended stretched everywhere.

Currently, they were walking by a bouncy house filled with kids, screeching and hollering in delight.

“They… celebrate a lot of stuff here.” Adora started, unsure of how to describe the huge, joyous parties that bookended every week.

“Including… birthdays?” Catra asked, saying it delicately, like she didn’t know how the new word fit into her vocabulary.

Adora nodded. “Your birthday is the day you were born, you know? And so every year on that day they celebrate it.”

“It?”

“Growing up. Surviving another year. Becoming older. I don’t know, really.” Adora snuck a glance at Catra, who was watching the entire affair with wide eyes.

“When… when, um. When is my birthday?” Catra asked quietly, a slight blush spreading over her face.

A bright laugh bubbled out of Adora. “I don’t know. Glimmer gave me a birthday, she’ll give you one too.”

Catra humphed. “Of course Sparkles would do that.”

The two lapsed into silence, only broken by Catra’s occasional questions about what was going on around them.

“And… that?”

Adora hid a smile. “Bow calls those swings.”

“Because they swing back and forth?” Catra asked, a sly smile on her face.

“Yeah.”

“That’s creative,” Catra muttered.

“You want to try them out?” Adora asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Catra nodded slowly. “Might as well.”

Adora rolled her eyes and grabbed Catra’s hand, pulling her over to two vacant swings. 

They settled into them, and Adora couldn’t stop herself from snorting when Catra, overzealous, pushed back way too hard and almost fell off. 

“You’re such an idiot.”

“First of all, that’s my line. Second of all, the idiot is whoever named these things.”

Catra’s hand fit perfectly into hers, warm and soft.

“What would you name them, then?”

Catra shrugged, nose wrinkling. “I don’t know. Something not stupid.”

“...Like?”

Catra groaned, tossed her head back. “Why are you asking me? It’s too early for this, I’m not equipped to invent a new name for something I just learned about.”

Adora leaned over, bumped her shoulder into Catra’s. “So maybe the namer of the swing wasn’t a huge idiot?”

Catra grinned, bumped Adora’s shoulder back. “No, he probably was.”

Adora bit back a grin. “But, with that logic, you’re an idiot too?”

Catra’s eyes narrowed. “No!” She cocked her head, leaned back experimentally. “Well, maybe.”

Adora raised their intertwined hands, quirking an eyebrow. “So I’m in love with an idiot, then?”

Catra fell silent, swing coming to a stop, staring at Adora, eyes wide and beautiful.

“Too much?” Adora asked softly, stomach whirling.

Catra blushed, bit her lip, shook her head slightly. “It’s… not too much, not at all. I’m just… I don’t know, with all these months alone… I was starting to think it was all a Horde Prime induced dream or something.”

Adora’s stomach dropped out as Catra dropped her hand and turned away from her, hands coming up to grip at the chains.

“Oh.”

“I mean, I knew it wasn’t, but… there was just still a small little kernel of doubt, you know?”

Adora nodded slowly. “So, you regret it?”

Catra whipped around to look at her. “What-- Adora, where could you possibly get that idea from?”

Adora blushed deeply, mouth opening to stutter out an apology. 

“I… uh… don’t regret it, just so you know,” she murmured, eyes on her feet, swinging slowly.

Catra scoffed. “So why haven’t we seen each other in so long? Hell, why aren’t we in some shady corner of the castle kissing the brains out of each other right now?”

Adora grinned, met Catra’s eyes. “Well, that could be arranged.”

Catra quirked an eyebrow. “...Seriously?”

Adora snorted. “So you really do like me, huh?”

Catra wrenched her swing so she wasn’t facing Adora, groaning loudly. “I hate you.”

Adora hummed with happiness, grabbing the chains of Catra’s swing and whipping them around so Catra was so close she was practically in her lap.

“You could never hate me.”

Catra’s eyes flicked up to meet Adora’s.

“You’re such an idiot,” she muttered.

Adora slid her hand into Catra’s and let go of the swings, so abruptly they swung away from each other, and then nearly crashed back together.

Catra yelped, cheeks pink. “Okay. I’m done.” She stood up, brushing herself off. “Don’t want to die today.”

Adora smirked. “Well don’t be dramatic about it.”

“Don’t you have a party to get to?”

“One kiss before we go?” Adora suggested, raising an eyebrow. 

“My God, you’re an idiot,” Catra replied, plopping back into her swing.

But despite her remarks, Catra was the one to stretch over to where Adora was sitting and, laughing slightly, press her lips against Adora’s.

It was chaste and quick, and nothing they hadn’t done before, but still, fireworks exploded in Adora’s head, a warm buzzing feeling filling her.

They broke the kiss, sitting there for another moment, staring into each other’s eyes.

Adora’s face broke out into a wide grin. “Should we head back now?”

Catra nodded, a small smile growing on her face. “As long as you don’t carry me.”

“Oh my God, don’t tempt me!”

Adora hopped up and stood in front of Catra, a smug look on her face.

A shimmer of light, and She-Ra was standing before Catra, grinning, with open arms.

“You wouldn’t,” Catra warned, voice low.

Adora grinned even wider. “I would!”

Catra’s eyes narrowed. “I hate you so much right now.”

Adora swept Catra up into her arms, laughing at her yelps. 

“That’s not a wise thing to say while I’m holding you.”

Catra cocked her head. “What are you gonna do about it?”

Adora leaned down, so she was a breath away from Catra.

She relished in the way Catra’s breath hitched, how her eyes dilated.

“Are you gonna keep me waiting?” Catra murmured, voice thick.

Adora grinned and made no move.

Catra groaned and surged up, capturing Adora’s lips.

She swept her tongue across Adora’s bottom lip, smiling slightly at the gasp it elicited from Adora, and deepened the kiss.

It was when it started to get a little graphic that they broke the kiss, Catra sagging back into Adora’s arms.

Adora blinked, so dizzily happy she almost dropped Catra.

“Party now? I still have yet to experience whatever a ‘birthday’ is.”

Adora’s eyebrows slanted down. “Um, no? Let’s go find a shady corner.”

Catra snorted. “Take me away, noble lady.”

Adora spun on her heel and raced away, Catra whooping and shrieking in her arms. 

This was the best birthday she ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little thing I wrote in like two days lol but I thought I'd publish it anyway. Love you all & thanks for reading.


End file.
